Who is the better man?

**~~lovedbygod~~** · September 05, 2008, 02:10 AM

What makes the better man? The old cliche, may the best man win, is a phrase whose depth is seldom plumbed.

Does it mean the stronger man? The man with all the power? The tyrant.
Does it mean the most empathetic? The man most understanding of other's shoes? The nurturer.
Does it mean the wisest man? The man who sees beyond the simple pale of others' blindness? The prophet.

For me, the better man must always be thus -

But I say to unto you which hear,
love your enemies,
do good to them which hate you
Bless them that curse you,
and pray for them which despiseth you…

For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye?
For sinners also do even the same.

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend,
hoping for nothing again… (Luke 6:27-35)

Many people laugh at such a thought. They say, there, that is the bad man, punish him, tar him, banish him. Listen not to his tale, no matter its lessons. And that last is maybe why such men are most important to me, and frankly, to the world. Such men, such mavericks, are the blocks upon which all our futures have always been built. They are the men whose stories are worth telling. They are the ones whose lives and actions become the myths we raise our children with.

Woe upon the land who fear such men. Though, the brutal and beautiful truth is, eventually such lands tend to produce a Caesar or a Christ, and then, those small men whose hate outweighed their love, tend to get just what they deserve.

What makes the better man?
The better world?

**Zephyrus** · September 05, 2008, 02:15 AM

Another wrinkle to this argument: Read "Paradise Lost" by John Milton, and review the principles leading to the main conflict betwixt characters.

**~~lovedbygod~~** · September 05, 2008, 02:20 AM

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.

-smede

Alternatively.......

Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them so much.

-wilde

**Valentin the II** · September 05, 2008, 03:25 AM

Please dont double post.

For me the better man is the wiser man, thats the one thing judaism got right.

**Rich86** · September 05, 2008, 07:01 AM

I guess your view of the better man will depend on the values of your society.

For me I would say only that the better man is the one who is willing to learn, and is willing to constatntly examine his own viewpoints and why he holds them.

**Khosson** · September 05, 2008, 01:00 PM

The smartest, the wisest, the strongest, the richest, the most beautiful. This is the best man in my opinion. And he must also use his skills for the benefit of others.

**Garrigan** · September 05, 2008, 03:12 PM

There is no best for me. You have to appreciate people for what they are, not what they arent,so I'd never say a strongman was better than a wiseman because of his superior strength. I'd just say he was a stronger man,and visa versa.

**~~lovedbygod~~** · September 05, 2008, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by Valentin the II

Please dont double post.

For me the better man is the wiser man, thats the one thing judaism got right.

Judiasm? What makes a man wiser?

Originally Posted by Rich86

I guess your view of the better man will depend on the values of your society.

For me I would say only that the better man is the one who is willing to learn, and is willing to constatntly examine his own viewpoints and why he holds them.

Does that mean a criminal, the cruelest most "inhuman" type, who constantly improves his criminal "skills", is the better man?

Originally Posted by Khosson

The smartest, the wisest, the strongest, the richest, the most beautiful. This is the best man in my opinion. And he must also use his skills for the benefit of others.

Thank you for the compliment.

**Holger Danske** · September 05, 2008, 04:49 PM

"What man is a man who does not try to make the World a better place?"

One of my favorites!

**~~maculous~~** · September 05, 2008, 05:59 PM

I agree on the forgiveness angle but I would call it acceptance and an ability to live in the future rather than the past. I don't know what makes a better man but I do know that people who live in the past are the worst of us and are in many ways responsible for everyone's problems, especially their own.

They are a sad pathetic lot who rarely achieve anything though, so not to worry.

**~~leotolstoy~~** · September 22, 2008, 01:33 AM

Some would say perseverance makes the better man but I prefer persistence.

**Copperknickers II** · September 22, 2008, 01:37 AM

Originally Posted by lovedbygod

What makes the better man? The old cliche, may the best man win, is a phrase whose depth is seldom plumbed.

Does it mean the stronger man? The man with all the power? The tyrant.
Does it mean the most empathetic? The man most understanding of other's shoes? The nurturer.
Does it mean the wisest man? The man who sees beyond the simple pale of others' blindness? The prophet.

For me, the better man must always be thus -

Many people laugh at such a thought. They say, there, that is the bad man, punish him, tar him, banish him. Listen not to his tale, no matter its lessons. And that last is maybe why such men are most important to me, and frankly, to the world. Such men, such mavericks, are the blocks upon which all our futures have always been built. They are the men whose stories are worth telling. They are the ones whose lives and actions become the myths we raise our children with.

Woe upon the land who fear such men. Though, the brutal and beautiful truth is, eventually such lands tend to produce a Caesar or a Christ, and then, those small men whose hate outweighed their love, tend to get just what they deserve.

What makes the better man?
The better world?

Surely in any competition, it is the best man who will win.

Saying that is basically saying 'May you lose and i win'.

**Thanatos** · September 22, 2008, 01:43 AM

Originally Posted by Copperknickers

Surely in any competition, it is the best man who will win.

Saying that is basically saying 'May you lose and i win'.

The best thing to do is to simply do your best, and hope that the best person wins.

**~~leotolstoy~~** · September 22, 2008, 01:44 AM

Wins what?

**Captain Blackadder** · September 22, 2008, 03:32 AM

In my view may the best man win refers to who is morally superior and that is why the adage is used to use it in the sense of strength seems wrong to me since that is already implied in the contest of course the "best" man will win however is the "best" man truly deserving of victory and that is what the adage refers to in my mind.